Washington: "Universal Background Check" Legislation

Pressure is building in Olympia to pass House Bill 1588, which is a bill that could criminalize private transfers of firearms and lead to handgun registration. It is absolutely imperative for your state legislators to hear from you TODAY.

Yesterday, House Bill 1588 was heard by the House Judiciary Committee. Sponsored by state Representatives Jamie Pederson (D-43), Mike Hope (R-44) and thirty-six other state representatives, HB 1588 could criminalizeall private sales of firearms. This bill mandates a $20 fee (tax) to conduct a background check. All private firearm sales would be required to be brokered by licensed gun dealers and it is unlikely that $20 would cover their cost. A likely outcome is dealers refusing to process these transactions, potentially bringing all legal private firearm sales to a halt.

HB 1588 is unworkable in its current form, as it conflicts with federal law. Furthermore, if it was able to be implemented as drafted, it would create a database of all privately sold handguns since ALL dealer handgun deliveries are registered with the state.

This bill is nothing more than a regulatory scheme that would create a huge burden for law-abiding citizens, would be unenforceable and would be ignored by criminals anyway. It is truly nothing more than a precursor to Universal Firearm REGISTRATION! For more information on this misguided measure, please see our previous report.

HB 1588 is scheduled for vote in the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, February 19 at 10:00 a.m. The contact information for committee members is provided below.

Also heard yesterday was House Bill 1676, sponsored by state Representative Ruth Kagi (D-32) and thirteen other state representatives. This so-called “child access prevention” bill would single out the storage of firearms for criminalization under certain circumstances. Today, fatal firearms accidents are at an all-time low and are at the bottom of the list of causes of accidental harm to children.

Washington’s current reckless endangerment statute already provides a remedy to address the rare incident of negligent storage and, more significantly, there is a civil remedy available that provides for civil action by the parents of a minor child who is injured or killed.

Please contact your state Representatives and state Senator TODAY and urge them to oppose HB 1588 and HB 1676 and all other attacks on your Second Amendment Rights! To find your elected officials and their contact information, please click here. You may also contact your state Senator and Representatives by calling the toll-free legislative hotline at 1-800-562-6000.

The latest attack on law-abiding gun owners comes in the form of a ban on so-called “assault weapons” and magazines that hold more than ten rounds. Senate Bill 5737, just introduced by state Senators Ed Murray (D-43) and Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-36), would ban the sale of commonly owned semi-automatic firearms. This bill would ban the manufacture, transfer, possession, purchase and sale of firearms arbitrarily defined as “assault weapons”, semi-automatic firearms commonly owned by law-abiding citizens for self-defense, based on mainly cosmetic features!

SB 5737 would also ban the possession of any semiautomatic firearm along with a magazine that holds more than ten rounds. A violation of these, and other provisions listed in the bill, is a class C felony. Owners of these firearms could keep them IF they subjected themselves to annual in-home inspections by law enforcement and complied with stringent and impractical storage and transportation requirements.

Your NRA-ILA will continue to keep you informed on these and other important bills. Thank you for continuing to contact your state lawmakers - they must hear from you now!

Here is a link to help find your district reps. You can email any/all reps though not just your own district. http://www.leg.wa.gov/house/Pages/default.aspx Another link to search by address http://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/

OLYMPIA — One of Washington state’s largest gun-rights groups is negotiating with lawmakers on a deal that would simultaneously boost a controversial gun-control proposal and remove one of gun owners’ biggest fears.

Alan Gottlieb, of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, said Tuesday night he has offered to support mandatory background checks for all firearm purchases if state lawmakers agree to end what some see as a de facto database of handgun owners.